


frayed sleeve threads

by minimiwrite



Series: through the never-leaving memories and the ever-present suffering [2]
Category: Cardfight!! Vanguard
Genre: College, Cuddling, Finals, M/M, Self Care, kai making you do self care
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-09-18 00:25:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16984641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minimiwrite/pseuds/minimiwrite
Summary: University, as always, is a pain.





	frayed sleeve threads

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this on and off during dead and finals week and it hasn't been grammar checked or anything but please just take it 
> 
> its probably a lot of gross self projection tho sorry

There’s a momentary lapse in his thoughts as Aichi registers that it’s, actually, in fact, really eight in the morning, and yes, that is the sun streaming through the windows (the frost on the windows dimly remind Aichi that it might be prudent to turn up the heating now, instead of piling on another layer of clothes). He blinks for a moment; wasn’t it just four a moment ago?

He jolts when he hears the other occupant in the apartment come back into their shared room. Kai stood there, looking slightly dumbfounded. “Why are you up?”

For a moment, Aichi considered telling him that he just got up, as to not worry Kai, but realized that Kai would probably see right through him, and slowly admitted the truth. “I… didn’t go to bed last night. Or uh, I guess this morning? What day is it again?” He looked back to the numbers on his laptop, not wanting to meet Kai’s gaze. “Wait, is it actually already Wednesday?!”

“Aichi.” There was a note of disapproval in Kai’s voice. “You should rest.”

He shook his head furiously, desperately looking around for his notes on basic string theory, leafing through the pages of his notebook. “I’ll rest after I figure this out, okay? Sorry, I’m making a mess, I’ll clean after I’m done, I promise, ah, here it is…!” Aichi’s eyes scanned the page, not noticing the other walking towards him until Kai placed a hand on his own. “Ah, Kai, do you want me to clean now? I will in five minutes, just please let me read…” He felt some irritation slip through his voice; Kai knows how important this was to him, and it’s not as though he spilled something food based in the room either. It was difficult to understand why he was intent on getting Aichi to stop working when he clearly needed to finish up some more memorization and practice problems.

“I want you to rest.” The harsh tone caused Aichi to wince and look up, seeing Kai’s worried gaze. “You’ve been studying non-stop since Monday. You need to rest.”

Kai reaches out, and takes his hand, pulling him up. His eyes narrow dangerously when Aichi wobbles, his other hand immediately reaching out and steadying him (he wants to tell Kai it’s really not necessary, that he can stand on his own two feet, but he also really doesn’t want Kai to let go of him either, when they’re so close, when he can feel the warmth radiating out of the other). Once confirming that Aichi wouldn’t fall over, he firmly closed the nearby laptop with a resolute clack, and leads him away from his desk.

The vague frustration that he felt earlier grew, closing up his throat. Aichi wasn’t helpless, and it wasn’t as though he couldn’t handle a few all nighters, especially in preparation for his finals this week; he needs more time to review, more time to do some more practice, something productive. Why else was he here in university? He didn’t even have it particularly bad, his finals neatly lined up in the middle of the week. Without realizing it, his hand tightened around Kai’s, causing the taller to stop for a moment, glancing down at the other and waiting silently (it was worse when Aichi met his glance, Kai’s eyes betraying his stern expression with aching affection and genuine concern).

“I, I’m fine.” He allowed his fingers to slip through Kai’s hand, his arm falling limply to his side again (Aichi finds that he wants to hold Kai’s hand again, wants to be warm, wants to spend more time with Kai instead of with theories on dark matter and the other bullshit that he needs to have memorized in thirty six hours). “I really… need to review. I’m behind.”

“You’re not going to get anything done like that.” Aichi winced as Kai’s voice cut straight through. It wasn’t necessarily untrue that he had been incredibly unable to retain information, but it was all the more important to continue working, then. He wouldn’t get anywhere like this, standing around and doing nothing, away from his notes.

“I’ll be fine, I’ve gotten through worse.” Aichi tried to smile at the other, to reassure him, but he felt his face contort into a grimace instead. “It’s just a few more concepts. I’ll be in bed right after. I’d feel worse later if I slack off now.”

“It’s not slacking off!” Kai’s raised voice caused Aichi to wince (it’s been a while since he’s heard anything louder than just Kai’s normal speaking voice and the scratching of his pen), and after a momentary pause, his voice was much softer. “You’re overworked. I’m worried about you.” The words end in a pained whisper, Kai gently reaching out to touch Aichi’s cheek, stepping closer.  “A few tests don’t matter as much as your wellbeing.”

He leaned into Kai’s touch. “I’m fine. I promise.” He was, he felt alert standing up and talking to Kai, he was completely awake, he can do this, he can, he could, he would. “I feel really awake now, actually!”

“You’re not. You’re running on all adrenaline.” Kai’s deadpan voice rang out as he took Aichi’s hand again, pulling him towards their shared bed. “You’ll feel dead again in about ten minutes.”

This time, Aichi didn’t resist as Kai succeeded in getting him to their bed. He hadn’t realized just how cold he was until Kai sat him down and draped a blanket over his shoulders, and he really didn’t know how tired he felt until he registered two arms wrapping around him and bringing him towards a familiar body, Kai curling up around him like a cat. The rest of his protests died on his lips as Kai leaned down and gently pressed them away with his own.

“I’ll wake you up. I promise.” In theory, this was an easy choice to make, resting in Kai’s warm arms for a few hours and going back to work refreshed, or dragging himself out of bed again and be miserable for a few hours before most likely passing out on top of his keyboard. Aichi had trusted Kai with far more important things than being an overgrown alarm clock, but there was a nagging feeling in the back of his head, that he wouldn’t be able to catch up to the time he was going to lose. Kai’s voice cut through his stress induced monologue.  “Aichi, do you trust me?”

There was no hesitance in his reply. “Of course, Kai.” He buried his face in the crook of Kai’s neck, unwrapping himself just enough pull out his arms and wrap them around the other. “I just don’t trust myself, I guess. There’s so much to review, and I don’t know if I can handle it, since I didn’t as well as I wanted to on the last test, and I still don’t know about the more recent theories about dark energy and...”

“It’ll be fine, Aichi.” Kai’s voice was soft as he tightened his hold around Aichi (was he was scared that he would sit up and leave Kai there?) and pressed his lips to Aichi’s hair. “I promise that an hour or two of sleep will help.”

Aichi closed his eyes, breathing in deeply and feeling the tension leaving his body as he breathed out. “Okay.” It felt like he had lost, even though he knew this was all for his benefit; Kai could be studying or practicing his own Vanguard or cooking or anything else, but was choosing to take care of him. That wasn’t a loss, the idea that other people cared about him. “Please wake me up in an hour, okay?”

“I promise. Sleep well, Aichi.” Kai rubbed gentle circles on Aichi’s back through the blanket, and even through the grogginess and stress and anxiety, Aichi knew that he didn’t stop, even after he fell deeply asleep.

 


End file.
